The PS5 next update beta is now available in select countries and limited to invited participants, so if you are one of those, you will get a first-hand sneak peek on some of the features that Sony is going to introduce. The official release of this update is planned for later this year globally, make sure you check your email to see if you have received an invite.
The highlights of this PS5 software system beta are tenfold, and yet some of them may not make it to the final cut, as Sony’s Senior Vice President Hideaki Nishino has announced. You can expect new accessibility features, support for Dolby Atmos-enabled audio devices, social feature enhancements, quality-of-life improvements, and more. To some of you, the option to mute the PS5 beep sound may turn out to be the best addition of all, judging by the community reaction to this apparently simple feature.
PS5 Next Update Features:
Here are in a nutshell the major improvements that are planned to launch with the next PS5 update before the end of the year.
Accessibility Features
Second Controller Assistance – assign a second controller to one account as an assist controller, and use two controllers to operate your PS5 console as if it was a single one. Useful in some cooperative games or to help a younger player overcome a challenging section.
System UI Haptic Feedback – this option allows you to get additional touch and sound feedback when navigating the PS5 using a DualSense controller, DualSense Edge controller, or PS VR2 Sense controller.
Support for Compatible Dolby Atmos-Enabled Audio Devices
Players owning compatible Dolby Atmos-enabled HDMI devices such as soundbars, TVs or home theater systems will be able to enjoy 3D Audio powered by Tempest 3D AudioTech, providing the greatest sound immersion in PS5 games.
Social Feature Improvements
Party UI Update – you can now invite a player into a group without automatically adding the player into the group or creating a new group. Additionally, players can now send open or closed party invitations to groups instead of only individual players.
Share Screen Preview -When a player is sharing their screen in a party you can join, their Share Screen preview image is viewable even before you join the party.
Join Friends’ Game Sessions – Players can now easily see which friends are in an activity they can join under the [Friends] tab.
Game Hub tournaments tile – Now you can see how many tournaments you’ve entered and the highest place you’ve achieved in the Game Hub. You can also select the tile to see the entire tournament list.
Emoji Message Reactions – You can now react to other players’ messages with emojis.
Ease-of-Use Improvements
Game Library Search – A very useful function is now planned, allowing you to search your games in the library, especially useful for players with a vast catalog of games.
Game Help Cards Improvements – Game cards now offer more info, including available, previously available, upcoming, and completed activities.
Discover New Features – Get more from your PS5 by browsing helpful tips and discovering new features.
Mute PS5 Beep Sound – A seemingly small option but one that is likely to please a massive crowd. You will be able to mute or adjust the volume of the PS5’s beep sound when you turn the console on or off, or putting it in rest mode.
Larger-Capacity M.2 SSDs Support
If you’re struggling with your current limit of 4TB storage, you can now use an M.2 SSD with a maximum capacity of 8TB.
The PS5 beta access is available to selected participants in the U.S., Canada, Japan, U.K., Germany and France. Some of the features above may be changed or removed entirely from the final release.
Team Ninja has revealed the Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty roadmap for 2023, and it’s packed with info! Not only are we getting a new game update this August, but there’s new end-game content incoming in September and more.
Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty Roadmap for 2023:
Boss Rush Mission Part 2
Release: August
Team Ninja is bringing the second multiple boss mission (first one was released in May), and this is “providing higher difficulty missions focusing on bosses that did not appear in the first mission.”
Similar to the “Crouching Dragons’ Battle Royale,” this mission can be played online, which means players can tackle this co-op.
New end-game content:
Release: September
Paid DLC Vol. 2 “Conqueror of Jiangdong” will be released where “new end-game content separate from additional difficulty levels will be added.” Team Ninja says they are planning on end-game content that can be played repeatedly based on different strategy.
In addition to that, the devs are planning on further expansion through this end-game content so that DLC Vol. 3 can be played at a “deeper level.”
Expect more details to be shared in the coming weeks about this new end-game content.4
Major balance adjustments & feature expansion:
Team Ninja is planning a major balance adjustment to go out alongside DLC Vol. 2.
“For example, in terms of action, this includes the strengthening the uniqueness of each existing weapon type, expanding Martial Arts and Spirit, raising each of the infrequently used action types, and adjusting the timing of cancelling actions. In terms of RPG, this takes into account adjusting the base of infrequently used Special Effects and reviewing how status is reflected. In regards to UI, we are addressing UI controls and flows that are not easy to use. These are just some of the things that we are planning in the coming months.”
Another area Team Ninja is planning to make changes to is an update to make adjustments on item drops, as well as additional features. This will take some time before it’s released per the studio, and more info about it will be shared.
Collaboration:
The Lies of P collab announced last month will be out this September. In November, another collab is planned with another Team Ninja game, Nioh. Per the studio, this content “will be different” than what was released for the Naraka: Bladepoint collab.
Optimization and bug fixes for the PC version:
Team Ninja has apologized for the inconvenience caused by the PC version of Wo Long since its release. Game Director Masakazu Hirayama states that the dev team has read each and every report posted on various bulletin boards, social media channels and whatnot, and have placed priority on bug fixes and optimization. “However, there are many combinations of PC environments in each household, and while our team continues to expand the environments where the game is checked post-launch, it will take time to replicate issues and properly fix them. I promise that we will continue to make improvements so that you can play with peace of mind as soon as possible. We apologize for this delay.”
That’s about it. Once we know more about the upcoming content, and once a patch is out, we’ll be sure to let our readers know.
When he said “I’ll be back” he wasn’t fooling around – the Terminator is back into Fortnite with the recent release of the new crossover featuring an Arnold Schwarzenegger skin. Epic Games just brought back the iconic time-traveling cyborg in a new guise, this time fully featuring the humanoid look with the cool glasses and stylish outfit. The Fortnite Terminator Arnold Schwarzenegger skin is now available to purchase worldwide since July 29, 2023, at 8 PM ET / 5 PM PT, introduced during the chapter 4, season 3.
The Fortnite Terminator skin isn’t the only thing that you can get if you decide to purchase the full bundle. Apart from the obvious skin, you are getting a Llama backbling styled as a mix between Fortnite and Terminator, a pickaxe, a glider, and an emote. Of course, you can also buy items individually.
Costing 2,300 V-Bucks total, the Fortnite Future War Terminator bundle will get you the following items (with individual prices listed right after each item):
Terminator Model 101 Skin (1,500 V-Bucks)
HK-Aerial Glider (800 V-Bucks)
Mimetic Poly-Alloy Blades Pickaxe (500 V-Bucks)
Tow Truck Surfer Emote (500 V-Bucks)
Skynet Llama Back Bling
The first time we saw a Fortnite and Terminator crossover was back in 2021, during chapter 2, season 5, when the T-800 Terminator and Sarah Connor skins were introduced to the franchise. Judging by the hype surrounding the new Arnold Schwarzenegger skin, it looks like this one is going to be another major hit for Epic Games.
Lost Soul Aside has come a long way since it stunned the Internet seven years ago with the reveal trailer. This action RPG with undeniable Final Fantasy aesthetics came out of nowhere and took everyone by storm, even more considering that it was under development by a single person, the awfully talented Chinese developer Yang Bing. Fast forward to today, when the Lost Soul Aside RTX trailer dropped and shows some amazing visual effects that the PC version will feature using the Nvidia GeForce RTX GPU.
The Lost Soul Aside trailer starts with the protagonist slowly walking in a beautiful golden landscape filled with reflections, and gradually moves into the action scenes, with an impressive dragon-like creature with blue glow sighted, paving the way to what’s next. There’s a deluge of skill effects, water ripples according to our movement, and it culminates in a boss battle with a water monster that is both extremely cinematic and stylish.
The trailer ends soon after, leaving everyone curious about what else this “action role-playing game with a unique combat system, gorgeous graphics, and a compelling storyline” has to offer. Watch the Lost Soul Aside RTX gameplay trailer right below.
What we do know is that the project may have been canceled for the PlayStation 4, as the new trailer description mentions that Lost Soul Aside is “in development for PS5 and PC.” Considering the graphical ambition and the scope of this action RPG, Sony may have decided to focus on the PC and PS5 platforms to deliver the best possible game it can. There’s no release date yet for Lost Soul Aside.
How long will it take you to complete Assassin’s Creed Mirage? The answer is out there, thanks to an interview that is now doing the rounds. YouTuber Julien Chièze has asked some questions to Fabian Salomon, lead producer at Ubisoft Bordeaux and one of the things that he asked about was the playtime of the new game. As some rumors pointed out, the upcoming game’s campaign is far from the colossal size of Assassin’s Creed Valhalla, which could easily go beyond the 100 hours, with completionists often clocking at nearly 150 hours. The Assassin’s Creed Mirage game length was revealed to be around 20-30 hours, depending on your playstyle.
We have to separate the playtime according to the three main player types so that it makes complete sense. We have the average time to complete the campaign, the time for completionists to achieve everything that the adventure offers, and finally the duration of a playthrough that rushes to the end. Here is what the interview revealed, based on Ubisoft playtests:
How Long Is Assassin’s Creed Mirage?
23-24 hours on average to complete
25-30 hours for completionists
20 hours for players who rush through the game
You can find the part where Assassin’s Creed Mirage lead producer Fabian Salomon tackles the question about the game’s playtime below at around 16:50. The exact words (translated from French) are the following:
We have plenty of internal tests at Ubi, it’s part of our process and we want to be as close to the player as we can. So, for the last attempts that we did we have an average of 23-24 hours, something like that, and it can go up to 25-30 hours for completionists, and for those who are going to rush the game, around 20 hours.
S-Game Studio has announced that their upcoming RPG, Phantom Blade Zero, will get a playable demo sometime in 2024.
The news comes from the director himself, Kenji Tanigaki, who revealed during their ChinaJoy 2023 Expo panel (via Twitter) that a planned public Phantom Blade Zero Demo is in the works, with it targeting a 2024 release. While details are still light as to what the demo will contain (no surprise as it’s still a way out), Kenji did confirm that it would be roughly 30 minutes of playtime.
Director of Phantom Blade zero confirms a 30 minutes playable demo of the project will be available on 2024! pic.twitter.com/4ifrQojGTp
— Phantom Blade Zero (@pbzero_official) July 30, 2023
Phantom Blade Zero was announced back in May of this year, and while the reveal gameplay was confirmed to be running in-game, many had their doubts that the final product would look and play like that as it looked heavily scripted with the amount of action happening on-screen. Hopefully, this demo will prove otherwise, and I, for one cannot wait to try this out next year.
About the Game: “In Phantom Blade Zero, you’re Soul, an elite assassin serving an elusive but powerful organization known simply as “The Order”. He was framed for the murder of The Order’s patriarch and gravely injured in the manhunt that ensued. A mystic healer managed to save him from death, but makeshift cure only lasts for 66 days. He must find out the mastermind behind it all before his time runs out, against powerful foes and inhuman monstrosities.”
Phantom Blade Zero is slated to release on PC and PS5. It currently has no release date, though based on today’s news, we wager it won’t be dropping this year like some have speculated.
A gamer at heart, James has been working for MP1st for the last decade to do exactly what he loves, writing about video games and having fun doing it. Growing up in the 90's gaming has been in his DNA since the days of NES. One day he hopes to develop his own game.
The official Helldivers 2 ESRB rating and summary have surfaced today, and it offers a little bit more gameplay details than expected from your typical ratings reveal.
According to the ESRB (Entertainment Software Ratings Board) summary, players will be able to continue attacking defeated enemies, and you can also kill civilians in rescue missions as well.
Helldivers 2 ESRB Rating: “M” for Mature, cites Blood and Gore, Intense Violence.
Rating Summary
This is an action game in which players assume the role of soldiers attempting to win an intergalactic war. From a third-person perspective, players use pistols, assault rifles, sniper rifles, flamethrowers, turrets, grenades, and rocket launchers to shoot and kill enemies (e.g., robots, cyborgs, giant insects). Combat is accompanied by realistic gunfire, cries of pain, and blood-splatter effects; some areas of the battlefield depict bloodstains and dismembered corpses. Players can continue to attack defeated enemies, causing additional blood-splatter effects and dismemberment. Players can also shoot and kill human civilians during rescue missions.
Helldivers 2 still has no firm release date, but you can read up about its loadout alongside other details and gameplay footage here.
With the game’s official ESBR rating out, this could mean that a release date announcement is imminent. Once we know more about that, we’ll let our readers know.
Grinding Gear Games had plenty of juicy details for its Path of Exile franchise during this year’s ExileCon. The only IP so far from the New Zealand-based company since its formation in 2006, the game remains with strong numbers and this kept the hype for Path of Exile 2 through the roof since it was announced in 2019. Now the cat is out of the bag, with the Path of Exile 2 closed beta date announcement and other major details surrounding this new game.
The Path of Exile 2 closed beta start is slated for June 7, 2024, which means that fans still have close to a year of waiting to try the online hack and slash RPG. However, there are some great news coming with this announcement that are likely to please everyone.
There’s also a new Path of Exile 2 gameplay trailer released (trailer 3):
The first big reveal is that the Path of Exile 2 closed beta isn’t just going to provide a small glimpse on what is expected to be a game filled to the brim with exciting content; contrary to the videogame industry’s standards that often take a brief slice of a game to whet the appetite of gamers, Grinding Gear Games is sparing no efforts and is going to offer the full Path of Exile 2 game to try during the closed beta. The complete schedule for this beta wasn’t yet revealed, so naturally there may be time constraints preventing players from exploring the entirety of the content available, but we know that it should run for the duration of a normal League. Here are director Jonathan Rogers’ words confirming this to IGN:
It won’t just be like one act or something like that. It’ll be the whole game and we’re going to run it for as long as we would run a league at least, so months, so that we know for sure like what the economy looks like, what everything looks like once it actually shakes out. ‘Cause it does actually take quite a while for people to kind of realize what the most efficient things are, what they’re supposed to be doing.
But there’s another very important piece of information that is bound to make Path of Exile fans burst with joy – Path of Exile 2 is now a full, standalone game. When development started, the plan was to make it a massive expansion and to some extent a revamp of the original game. As both ambition and development grew in scope, Grinding Gear Games had to reconsider the choice and decided to turn Path of Exile 2 into a full-fledged game, supported by a different team and running side-by-side with Path of Exile. As director Jonathan Rogers said:
[We] would essentially be getting rid of a game people love for no real reason.
Path of Exile and Path of Exile 2 will be a shared platform, which means that any microtransactions you have purchased or purchase for one game will work on the other one. There are some exceptions to this rule, however, as some items available in the sequel may not appear in the original game due to the non-existing mechanics.
And now for a few numbers. Path of Exile 2 is going to take players across 100 environments, fight 600 monsters and 100 bosses, unlock 1500 passive skills and 240 active skills, discover 36 Ascendancy classes, and much more. The anticipated RPG is in development for PC, macOS, Xbox Series X, and PlayStation 5, and there’s also a Path of Exile Mobile game under development.
While there’s no shortage of “pro” controllers for the PS5, the Victrix Pro BFG is a different kind of animal, as the controller doesn’t just have back buttons, but it can be modded on the fly to suit different controller layouts. However, is this enough to make it worth the price? Read on for our full review to find out.
Design
Looking at the Victrix Pro BFG, you can see that the controller shares a striking resemblance to that of an Xbox controller, which also blends in parts of the PlayStation. While many PlayStation gamers may not be used to that shape, the Victrix Pro BFG seems to do a great job at easing users in, as it is comfortable and maintains most of the layout of a PlayStation controller. In ways, it makes the best of both consoles, though it sadly lacks some of the big DualSense features, such as adaptive triggers and haptic feedback.
However, where the Victrix Pro BFG lacks compared to DualSense features, it makes up elsewhere, giving it an edge over PlayStation’s DualSense Edge controller. That’s because the controller is completely modular. That means you can swap (with the included screwdriver) certain components and adjust others, transforming the controller into any controller you want. If you want offset sticks like an Xbox controller, you can have that. Or maybe you fancy the inline ones like the PlayStation controllers have. Well, you can have that one too. Heck, you can even reverse the offset if you want to, with the left joystick being in and the right being upwards on the controller. I know it’s a weird setup, but hey, it’s there if you want it.
Other modular components include different stick heights, types of D-pad buttons, and even stick gates. I wasn’t expecting there to be octagonal gates included with this controller, which work wonders for fighters. And speaking of fighters, the most surprising modular component is the fully dedicated fight pad. Yes, this comes with an entire fight pad modular, replacing the right stick with a six-button layout. It works great, too, as I tested Street Fighter 6, Tekken 8 (tech test,) and Mortal Kombat 1 (tech test.) Mind you, the Victrix Pro BFG won’t replace a full-sized fight pad, as the buttons are too close to one another, but the fact that it includes the option to turn it into one wasn’t on my bingo card.
All these modular pieces aren’t mutually exclusive, as in you have to have it as either a PlayStation or Xbox setup. You can mix and match everything. Maybe you like the PlayStation’s inline and asymmetrical layout but prefer the Xbox’s eight-way d-pad. Ever want the Xbox’s thumbstick on a PlayStation controller, or vice-versa? Well, now you can.
The BFG also has four back buttons, which is two more than what the DualSense Edge has to offer. I love their design, too, because they’re large buttons that sit exactly where your fingers would normally on the controller. They’ll all customizable like any controller that offers back buttons and are super easy to set up via the guide listed on their website. What I like most is that you can store up to three custom profiles on the controller, taking those settings to whichever platform you want without needing software. Taking the controller from a PS5, to a PS4, and then to a PC is as simple as plug and play. You can use a hardwire or the wireless dongle it comes with.
The level of freedom in the customization that the Victrix Pro BFG offers is unmatched by any other pro/elite controllers available today. Though that goes without saying that there were some flaws I hope get worked on down the road.
There are a few things I’m not too fond of about the Victrix Pro BFG design, the first being the position of where the clutch triggers are located. The clutch triggers work the stoppers in the L2 and R2 triggers, allowing you to adjust them to five different stop positions. The problem is, they’re easy to hit as they’re close to the back buttons and in the area where most typically rest their middle fingers. I’ve hit it several times during gameplay, resetting the triggers to their default stop position. The DualSense Edge, though it only offers three trigger stops, does handle this better with a slider near the interior side of each trigger.
My second complaint is the default trigger stop position. It’s too sensitive, as I often found myself accidentally pressing it during gameplay, prompting my character to perform actions in moments I didn’t want them to. During some Warzone 2 matches, I would suddenly shoot or go into ADS (aim down sights,) which, depending on the moment, would give my position away, resulting in death.
I’m aware that the default position turns the triggers into digital buttons, but I feel it comes off as more of a nuisance than a mechanism to help you get an edge online. Most gamers, I assume, play with their index fingers resting on the triggers, and if you do, you’ll have to adjust the trigger stops immediately, as the slightest bump could cause input.
Then there’s the weight or lack of weight. The controller is light, which is surprising considering how much it packs. I would have loved to have some weight option that either slides into where the vibration motors typically are (bottom left and right of the controller) or some weighted modules—anything to add a bit more weight to it.
Performance
What’s most important about pro-style controllers is whether or not they can provide a competitive edge, and based on our tests, the Victrix Pro BFG Wireless Gaming is more than capable of doing just that. I’d argue it offers more of an edge online than the DualSense Edge, considering that you can map two additional back buttons, making it possible to have all buttons accessible without ever needing to leave a finger off any of the others.
That’s a massive game changer, and anyone into competitive gaming can tell you just how useful that is in shooters like Call of Duty, Apex Legends, Fortnite, and so many others. Being able to perform slides, hops, grenade throws, etc., all without lifting my thumbs off the stick or my fingers from the other button, in my experience, provided me with a faster response to what was going on in my surroundings. It may not seem like a big thing, but I have eight fingers I can use all at once because of the design of the Pro BFB.
But of course, there are other genres of competitive games out there, too, such as fighters. The additional buttons go a long way, but the fight pad works wonders. The octagonal gates are great, too, for those who prefer using those over traditional joystick gates. I can honestly say that the fight pad did help me play better at Street Fighter.
As for the wired and wireless connectivity, I didn’t notice much of a difference between the two, nor did I have any wireless issues. The Pro BFG felt as responsive as my DualSense controller, and what was even more important, it even offered more battery life than it. It’s not much more than the standard DualSense, clocking in around 14-16 hours for me. But, compared to the DualSense Edge, which is typically 6 hours, the BFG blows it away for battery life while offering nearly the same competitive features.
Verdict
Being the company’s first pro-like controller built for the PlayStation, I have to say I’m left feeling impressed by the value it offers. While it still comes in at a pretty penny (USD 179.99), the Victrix Pro BFG Wireless Gaming is jam-packed with customization, making it a well worthwhile alternative to the more expensive, official PlayStation Pro Controller, the DualSense Edge. I’d say it’s an even better controller than it if you aren’t someone who cares about haptic feedback and adaptive triggers and mainly play Esport-geared titles. If it’s a competitive edge you are looking for, then there probably isn’t a controller out there better than what the Victrix Pro BFG Wireless Gaming offers, certainly not one at its price point and with as much customization.
Score: 9/10
Pros:
Fully modular – I don’t think you’ll find a controller with this much customization.
Easily programmable back buttons with storage for profiles.
A gamer at heart, James has been working for MP1st for the last decade to do exactly what he loves, writing about video games and having fun doing it. Growing up in the 90's gaming has been in his DNA since the days of NES. One day he hopes to develop his own game.
If you’re a fan of the old Transformers games that were released on Xbox platforms before and hoping to play ’em again, there is a chance that could happen, though it is a bit of a longshot.
In an interview conducted at the San Diego Comic-Con, Hasbro mentioned that the old Transformers games are in an old hard drive at Activision, and that if the Microsoft acquisition of the publisher does continue, there is a chance these games could go on Game Pass.
Q: Possible to re-release the Activision TF games to coincide with Gamer Edition?
A: Sadly, apparently Activision’s not sure what hard drives they’re on in their building. When a company eats a company that eats a company things get lost, and that’s very frustrating. Hope is that now that the deal is moving forward with Microsoft and Xbox that they’ll go through all of the archives and every hard drive to find it all, because it’s an easy Game Pass add. We want those games back up for people to have a chance to play.
Mind, there’s no guarantee that if the Activision buyout of Microsoft does push through that we’ll see the old Transformers games hits Game Pass, but there is a chance.
For reference, here are the Transformers games that got released on Xbox platforms (via Wikipedia):
Transformers: Devastation
Transformers: The Game
Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen
Transformers: Dark of the Moon
Transformers: War for Cybertron
Transformers: Fall of Cybertron
Transformers: Rise of the Dark Spark
Of course, there’s quite a lot of games based on the property that never saw release on Xbox platforms, that could potentially see the light of day on an Xbox release if Microsoft makes enough of an effort to find those drives.
Would you want to play the old Transformers games? Perhaps if Activision finds the hard drives that store the game code, we could potentially see a re-release on all platforms down the line? One can hope.
A new League of Legends dev update video has been published, featuring League Studio head Andrei “Meddler” Van Roon and executive producer Jeremy “Brightmoon” Lee. The video covered the dev’s thoughts on the direction of the newly released Arena game mode, an update on the Quick Play feature, and more.
Quick Play, which was put on hold to prioritize Soul Fighter, Arena and the Ranked changes, is in the works and is planned for release later this year.
The Star Guardian Seraphine and Orianna skins that came from Wild Rift have been performing really well—they’ve been two of the most popular skins this year.
The team is working on bringing Redeemed Xayah and Rakan over later this year.
The Blue Essence Emporium will return in patch 13.17 and the team is aiming to bring it back twice a year going forward.
A mass disenchant feature will be implemented to quickly disenchant unneeded champion shards.
New ability icons for Graves, Janna, Jarvan, Nami, Orianna and Varus will be released in August, with other champions to follow.
In the next Dev Update, the team will talk more about how Arena’s been going and their thoughts on the future of Arena and other modes.
The team will also have updates to share on Preseason, the visual and audio update for Jax and the newest champion, Briar.
As the video was recorded before the release of Arena on live servers, it’ll be interesting to see how the devs react to player sentiment of the game mode. Given that many have been vocal about their enjoyment of the game, with some clamoring for it to remain as a permanent mode, one can only hope that Riot will feel incentivized enough to keep it around, at least every now and then as a rotating mode.
Until then, we’ll have to wait for the next dev update from Riot, which should include quite a bit of information regarding Arena following the mode’s live server release, so stay tuned.
The beloved Patapon series is finally coming out of obscurity with the announcement of Ratatan. This is a spiritual successor coming from some of the same minds that worked on the acclaimed rhythm strategy games, and is trying to tap on the passionate but somewhat forgotten crowd that loved the series. The first Ratatan gameplay trailer was just released and it perfectly shows how the original concept first experienced in Sony’s PSP console has evolved.
Developed by Ratata Arts, Ratatan’s development is helmed by Patapon’s original designer Hiroyuki Kotani, with the collaboration of Japanese artist Nelnal for the new artwork style. And since this game is mostly about music, rhythm, and battling to the beat, former Patapon composer Kemmei Adachi is once again responsible for the songs, although this time the scope is more ambitious, quite far from the limited “pata-pata-patapon” that fans know and love.
As you can see from the first Ratatan gameplay video, this game features lovingly detailed and animated artwork, as you control armies with over 100 units at a time, unleashing unique character and environmental skills. However, details on the gameplay are slim so far, but we’re surely going to know a lot more when the Ratatan Kickstarter goes live on July 31, 12pm EST.
So far, target platforms for Ratatan remain undisclosed, meaning that we’ll have to wait and see if publisher TVT is looking for a multiplatform release or focusing on a single system.
In August, Gun Interactive will release its latest game focusing on multiplayer, and that’s The Texas Chain Saw Massacre; an asymmetrical game based on the 1974 film.
We recently had the chance to talk to Gun about the game, and we asked about The Texas Chain Saw Massacre’s development, the chances of seeing a crossover, Easter eggs, and loads more! Read on for the full Texas Chain Saw Massacre interview.
Texas Chain Saw Massacre Q&A:
Q: Can you tell us how the studio came into possession of the rights for the first Texas Chainsaw Massacre? Was this always something the team intended to get, or was this game going under some initial prototyping, maybe as a different project at first?
A: Gun and the rights holders to The Texas Chain Saw Massacre met nearly 5 years ago. They were fans of our previous game, Friday the 13th, and wanted the same white glove treatment for Texas. Obviously, everyone at Gun adores the 1974 film and were honored to not only be trusted with such an iconic brand, but also to work alongside Kim Henkel, the original screenwriter of the film.
Q: We haven’t really heard much about the console version in terms of features, specifically on the PS5 side of things. Will there be DualSense support, as in haptic feedback and adaptive triggers? If so, what can you tell us about them? How have they helped immerse the experience further?
A: Our goal throughout development has been to ensure every player is able to engage with the full vision for The Texas Chain Saw Massacre, regardless of platform. To that end, we’re not focusing as much on specific features per platform so that we can ensure a consistent experience for everyone.
Q: What frame rate will the game run on last-gen and on current-gen? Will there be any performance or quality modes players can choose?
A: Similar to many titles released this generation, we’ll offer both performance and quality modes on the high end current gen machines, with a single mode on the last gen consoles. On the Xbox Series X and PlayStation 5, players will be able to choose between 60fps Performance Mode at reduced resolution, or 30fps Quality Mode at a higher resolution. On the Xbox Series S, players will use Quality Mode.
Q: Has the dev team thought of the Year 1 post-launch support already? Are we getting a roadmap before release?
A: We will not be providing a roadmap, but we are always thinking about what the first year will look like for our fans. We want to provide as much content as possible, but obviously the success of the game will dictate what the first 12-18 months looks like for new content.
Q: Now we’ve heard before that adding content from other movies isn’t easy due to licensing issues. Would this mean that we can expect more original content from the studio in the future then, if further film rights can’t be secured?
A: That is correct, we only have rights to the 1974 film. The ace up our sleeve is that we get to work side-by-side with Kim. He already has a deep archive of characters, locations, and back stories that we get to build from. This is how we got Sissy and Johnny.
Q: The asymmetrical system of this game is rather new in a sense that it’s 3 killers versus 4 survivors, instead of 1 killer. What was the reasoning behind this? What has the process of balancing this been like? The biggest challenge?
A: At Gun, we never want to make the same game twice. When we sat down to even consider making a Texas Chain Saw game the first thing we all agreed upon was that it had to be unique. We made our mark with Friday the 13th, and now it’s time to innovate and push this genre forward.
When you look at the 1974 film you’ll notice that it’s more than just Leatherface. It’s about an entire family of cannibals. They work as a unit. That’s what we drilled down into and focused on for the game. This naturally led us to the 3v4 formula.
But this can also cause a problem with balance. We spent nearly a year on balance. High level abstract discussions which lead to prototype, which then lead to iteration. Over and over again, until we landed on something that we all agreed felt correct. It’s mind numbing, but so very crucial to get right.
Q: Why did you decide to go for an original cast of five victims and a new backstory instead of using the elements from the movie? Was this because of creative freedom or licensing limitations?
A: We didn’t want to create a game that mirrors the film in lockstep. You’ve seen that story. You know how it goes for everyone. We thought it was more interesting to look at what was going on with that family, in that house, months before the film took place. This gave us more liberties to introduce characters you haven’t seen. Making this decision gives us more creative license to expand and not feel confined to only the elements and characters seen in the original film.
Q: Are players going to find some easter eggs and other subtle references to the movie and characters that may go unnoticed by some? Perhaps a super secret one that’s hidden by meeting certain criterias?
A: If you played Friday the 13th, I think you’ll know what to expect. We’re horror nerds through and through. We’re also obsessive about details. So yes, if you look around (while trying not to die) you’ll see loads of easter eggs throughout each level.
Q: How did the studio create the sense of dread and horror from the movie while staying true to PvP mechanics?
A: This starts with spending months in the state of Texas. Going to every filming location, and getting lost in the rural countryside of central Texas. Until you’ve immersed yourself completely in an area, it’s difficult to bring it to life in a game.
We took over 10K photos for reference. We studied the flora and fauna of the area. Discussed weather conditions from that era, and looked at the migration patterns of birds. If you hear birds chirping in the game, they better be the exact bird found in TX during that part of the season. Some call us obsessive, we say passionate. LOL
Q: PvP is nice and all, but has the team thought about potentially adding offline bots? What about an offline mode in general? People were really fond of the Virtual Cabin from Friday the 13th, I’m sure most would love to see The Texas Chainsaw Massacre get a similar mode.
A: We did not consider offline bots for this title. We learned a lot from Friday the 13th and the time that is required to make a feature like that. Believable bots in games are incredibly time consuming and difficult to do well. This would have cut our main game features back dramatically, thus impacting the overall experience we wanted to create.
That was our focus. Push the asymmetrical horror genre forward as much as possible. And that comes from an unwavering goal of creating a unique PvP experience steeped in the world of The Texas Chain Saw Massacre.
Q: While the game is based on the Texas Chain Saw IP, has there been discussions of crossovers with other horror movie/game franchises?
A: Crossovers are difficult from a licensing standpoint. You have to get a lot of companies, rights holders, distributors, and film studios to sign off. Everyone wants to be paid from that. It’s a very costly endeavor.
Also, our only focus was to deliver the best experience possible based on that original film. Obviously if the game is a hit, I’m sure there will be interesting ideas that pop up, and it’s much easier to have those discussions if the game is successful!
Q: Can we expect a beta before launch? Would there be any rewards for it that will be given to participants that carries over to the final version of the game?
A: We had a tech test a few months ago that gave us the data we were seeking. There will not be another beta as we’ve been using that data from the TT to harden the build and the servers to prep for launch. Doing another beta would slow us down and distract us from delivering a solid launch build.
Q: With so many multiplayer games these days launching as F2P, has the studio or publisher considered going the free-to-play route? If so, why/why not?
A: No, we are not interested in creating free-to-play games. We are horror nerds, first and foremost, that have a passion for game design. When you get into the world of F2P it’s a whole different structure than what we’re interested in making. We don’t view F2P as “bad”, it just isn’t how we think nor the types of games we are drawn to make.
Q: Has the studio (or publisher) thought of launching the game on PlayStation Plus alongside Game Pass? Or is that something that’s not allowed (if a game is coming to Game Pass and it can’t be on PS Plus at the same time, etc.)?
A: We were approached by Microsoft to be included in their subscription service GamePass which is an exclusive deal. Therefore we can not accept another offer from any other platform related to a subscription service.
Q: Will we be getting the traditional Battle Pass micro-transaction model that’s in almost all multiplayer games these days?
A: We’ve discussed this internally. There’s pros and cons to that model. As of right now we’re looking at a more traditional DLC plan without a pass.
Q: Has the team thought of adding VR support to it? I mean, that might suck from a competitive standpoint, but it should add to the suspense and horror factor. In the very least, it’d be cool, even if it’s a one off mode!
A: Oh man, that would be interesting. But we would have to make significant changes to visuals to pull that off. The best VR games are built from the ground up for VR only. It is not something we’re focusing on for this title. But we would love to run around in VR with a chainsaw!
The Texas Chain Saw Massacre will be released this August 18 on the PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S and PC,
While Blizzard has already said that they are working on a major new patch for Diablo 4 called 1.1.1, the studio revealed that the Diablo 4 patch 1.1.1 release date is set for Aug. 8, though the patch notes will be out on Aug. 2. In addition to that, the studio dropped a ton of info about the upcoming patch.
In today’s Campfire Chat, Blizzard shared a load of info about the upcoming patch, and this includes class changes, the overall changes and more!
Diablo 4 Patch 1.1.1 Overview:
Release Date: Aug. 8
Overall Changes
They’re trying to buff all classes, specifically looking at less used skills/builds
They want to make uniques more attractive, but not too strong, they specifically said they don’t plan on making all the affixes BiS, but they do plan on switching some of them.
They want to make Aspects work in more general settings, ex: Chain Lightning damage increase passive working on ANY bounce instead of when it only bounces on you
Longer Term: Bring different types of damage more inline with each other, i.e right now critical damage and vulnerability are obviously the most OP damage multipliers, they want to bring other damage types more inline with this
Add scaling to effects that spawn skills, something like dust devils for Barbarians, they want this type of Aspect to scale better in the late game and actually be viable.
They mentioned nothing is final right now but everything they showed is their goal, they’re currently testing and tweaking the numbers.
Minions buff planned in the future, they added some damage reduction for Patch 1.1.1
Monster density increase in Helltides and NMDs, ex:
Density is something they said they’re going to constantly work on, one worry they have is that the density increase can cause issues with performance and that’s something they’re paying close attention to.
Buffs to Dungeon boss drops, starting from Level 35 you’ll be guaranteed a legendary drop. Same idea with treasure goblins starting at Level 15 to make them feel more rewarding, one fact that was brought up was currently treasure goblins currently have a 50% chance to do this but the coinflip doesn’t feel good so they’re changing it.
Respec cost reduction, extra stash tab, and elixirs stacking to 99 all coming too as a reminder.
NMD dungeon affixes: they are removing resource burn, cold enchant, and backstabber for now and looking more closely into what feels good.
BUFFS
SORCERESS
BARBARIAN
ROGUE
DRUID
NECROMANCER
Q&A Answers
EXP LATEGAME: Density is the current buff for this, they’re going to be looking at how that affects leveling closely and then fine tuning in the future
CROWD CONTROL: Want to make changes to CC but not in patch 1.1.1, they realize that slowing down gameplay made this feel worse and they’re currently looking at it
Resistances: Want to make it feel good, but they’re currently trying to find a balance, they don’t want to make it so that stacking fire resist against a fire boss makes you invulnerable, but at the same time they also don’t want one type of mitigation to be OP, and yes, they do realize that resistances are weak.
Mounts: They want mounts to feel better, currently looking at fixing the stacking boosts on controller, and they want to fix the issue where you get stuck all the time
VRAM: Another VRAM fix coming for Patch 1.1.1
Overpower: Their goal is to make every build feel like it can scale and be viable in the late game, so they’re looking at buffs to overpower, DoT, etc.
Current Zoom Levels: Worried about performance impact of zooming out since you’ll have to draw more things on screen, they are looking at this though.
Customization Options: Specifically mentioned wings and pets, they said this IS something they want to add, but currently they’re focusing on adding content
Overall Builds: They want to buff everything to give you that satisfying late game power fantasy, if it’s a stat you can spec into, they want you to be able to use is in a build that is viable.
If you want to watch the entire thing, you can do so below:
Once the official 1.1.1 patch notes are out on Aug. 2, we’ll be sure to let our readers know, so stay tuned!
Studio Wildcard has released Ark: Survival Evolved update 2.97 and this plugs an exploit alongside other fixes. Read on for what’s new in the new Ark update patch notes for July 28.
Ark: Survival Evolved Update 2.97 Patch Notes | Ark New Update Patch Notes for July 28:
v716.1 – 07/28/2023 – Major version for servers and clients
Fixed an exploit
Adjusted rhynio speed
Added new sfx for rhynio
That’s about it. This patch is the same for the Xbox versions and doesn’t seem to be out for PC. Once a new patch is released, though we’re not expecting anything major, we’ll be sure to let our readers know.
While Ark 2 has no release date set just yet, we know it’ll be out next year. You can read about that and details of the Ark Survival Ascended for PS5, Xbox Series X|S right here.
A lot of new information was showcased in the recent Final Fantasy 14 keynote hosted by the game’s director, Naoki Yoshida. The presentation, held during the Final Fantasy 14 Fan Festival at Las Vegas, included info on both the next expansion, Dawntrail, as well as updates coming to the game in the next major patch, 6.5.
Not sure where to start? Here are all the major bits of info showcased during the keynote.
Final Fantasy 14 New Update 6.5 and 7.0 Details:
Dawntrail Details (7.0)
While Yoshida didn’t reveal a whole lot about the Dawntrail expansion in today’s keynote, we did get a few reveals:
Level cap increased to 100
More variant dungeons
Two new jobs (one melee DPS and one magic ranged DPS)
Improved dye system that allows two dyes per gear piece
Eyeglass gear type that you can equip alongside headgear
This comes along with confirmation of returning content that we’re used to already, such as dungeons, 8-man raids, Alliance raids, and Ultimate raids.
Graphics Update (7.0)
Coming to FF14 during the game’s next expansion is a major graphics update, which will aim to improve the look of the game’s characters, lighting, and environment. The textures for most assets seem to be unchanged, but with improvements to the game’s rendering, materials such as metal will luster more, foliage will seem more vibrant and lifelike, and character faces will contain a lot more detail, among other things.
You can watch a comparison video showcasing FF14 before and after the graphics update:
As a consequence of the improved graphics, Final Fantasy 14’s recommended PC specs have been changed. Here are the minimum and recommended specs before and after the graphics update:
Before 7.0:
7.0 and beyond:
Expanded Free Trial (6.5)
Did you know that the critically acclaimed MMORPG Final Fantasy 14 has a free trial? Well, it now includes Stormblood, the game’s second major expansion, as part of the deal! That’s right, players will be able to enjoy the entirety of Stormblood as well as all the content that it has to offer when Patch 6.5 drops. FF14’s free trial has no restriction on playtime, so players will have lots of content to try out at their own pace.
Most notably, FF14’s most difficult form of content, the Ultimate raids, will be made accessible to free trial players following Patch 6.5, as both the Unending Coil of Bahamut and The Weapon’s Refrain were part of the Stormblood expansion.
Fall Guys Collaboration (6.5x)
One reveal that surprised many players was the announcement of an official collaboration with Fall Guys, the free-to-play platform battle royale game. As a two-way collaboration, both games will be featuring each other’s work, with Fall Guys receiving a set of player skins to earn starting this August.
As for FF14, the game will be introducing a bona fide Fall Guys course, which players can attempt via the Gold Saucer.
The Fall Guys course is currently in development, with the goal of allowing up to 24 players to compete in a single match.
Those are all the major reveals from today’s keynote. Any announcement that specifically piqued your interest? What are you excited for the most? Let us know in the comments!
Final Fantasy 14 is finally coming to Xbox! Final Fantasy 14’s Xbox version was recently announced at the FF14 Fan Fest held in Las Vegas earlier today. It is set to go live as an open beta in Spring 2024.
Here are the details regarding the Xbox version of FF14:
FF14 will be coming to Xbox Series X|S at some point in Spring 2024 in the middle of the game’s 6.5 patch update. It will be a digital-only release, which means no game discs or physical copies, and will also come with optimizations for the platform. 4K will also be supported for those playing on Xbox Series X. The game will support crossplay with players on PC and on the PS4/PS5, so you’ll still be able to play and raid with your old friends after switching platforms, if that’s what you intend on doing.
The announcement was made alongside Xbox’s own CEO, Phil Spencer, who attended the FF14 Fan Fest as a surprise guest. Spencer shared a few words regarding FF14 director Naoki Yoshida and his team at Creative Business Unit 3.
What I really appreciate about you and your team is you put the player at the center of everything that you do. It couldn’t be more clear than watching your presentation today. At Xbox, we share a very similar spirit when it comes to our players.
While there’s no concrete release date just yet, the Xbox version of the game arrives just before the launch of FF14’s next expansion, Dawntrail, so it should give players enough time to get a feel for the controls before the update arrives.
The Fast and Furious saga just found a suiting racing partner in Hot Wheels, with a collaboration that is set to bring the iconic movie cars into the game. Hot Wheels Unleashed 2: Turbocharged will include Dominic Toretto’s near-legendary Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat Widebody, along with other vehicles from the movie series starring Vin Diesel, The Rock, and the late Paul Walker. The Hot Wheels and Fast and Furious crossover is available when the game launches in October 19, 2023, starting with Toretto’s car on day one.
However, additional Fast and Furious cars will come to Hot Wheels Unleashed 2: Turbocharged at later dates and as paid DLC content. Owners of the Legendary Edition of the game will have access to all the Fast and Furious content without additional purchases.
The identities of the remaining cars – which the trailer very briefly glimpses at – remain to be revealed, but it seems like the full collection is comprised of eight cars. Die-hard fans of the series should easily spot some of the cars and who they belong to if they pause the video at 30 seconds.
This crossover was subtly hinted during the Fast X movie, as Dominic Toretto’s son Brian and sister Mia were spotted playing Hot Wheels Unleashed. Now we know that it wasn’t a coincidence, but was in fact foreshadowing this collaboration between developer Milestone and Universal Pictures.
Hot Wheels Unleashed 2: Turbocharged is available now for pre-order on PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, and PC (via Steam and Epic Games Store). The release is slated for October 19 and you can find the PC system requirements right here.
On July 26, Paradox Interactive noted the issues players were facing with Crusader Kings 3 on console. Today, the publisher has posted a note where they claim that their upcoming Crusader Kings 3 Console Edition update fixes these issues and will go live on Monday, July 31.
The post reads:
Hello again, everyone!
We’re able to confirm that our latest update has passed certification and is scheduled to be deployed to PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series S|X consoles on Monday, July 31st. This update primarily focuses on stability improvements and memory optimization, as well as fixes for various UI issues. We’ll post a more comprehensive list of changes when this update goes live on Monday.
Thank you for your continued support!
The original post was made in the Paradox forum on July 26, where the developer said:
Dear Console Players,
We are aware of the critical situation affecting Crusader Kings III’s Console Edition and we are working together with Lab42 to bring you the best possible version of the game on consoles.
We always welcome your bug reports and we want to assure you that our teams are working hard on resolving the issues affecting the game. Please follow our social media channels, as we will have more information to share soon.
Thank you for your understanding and support.
It’s good to see that the developers were able to address these issues with Crusader Kings 3 console edition so swiftly. Stay tuned to MP1st, as we will post the full patch notes when they are published by Paradox Interactive on Monday.
It’s finally been announced! Square Enix’s MMO, Final Fantasy 14, is getting another expansion next year titled “Dawntrail.” The new Final Fantasy 14 expansion is set to launch in Summer 2024. The expansion was showcased during the Final Fantasy 14 Fan Fest held in Las Vegas earlier today.
In the new trailer, we see the Warrior of Light (now donning a new hairstyle) traverse the seas alongside Erenville, the gleaner who helped the Scions during the Endwalker main story quest. The trailer then cuts to what appears to be a tribe of Mamool Ja, a beastman race that you can actually find in FFXIV right now, roaming Upper La Noscea by Camp Bronze Lake. Their presence in the trailer seems to indicate that they play a bigger role in the game’s story this time around.
We also get a glimpse of the Scions walking about what appears to be an Aztec/Mayan-inspired settlement. Alongside Alphinaud’s voiceover at the beginning of the trailer, we also see Y’shtola, G’raha Tia, Estinien, Alisaie, and Urianger all doing their respective things. The trailer ends with a wide shot of the clear blue sea and the title of the expansion, Dawntrail.
It’s worth noting that we didn’t get to see anything relating to the new jobs coming to Dawntrail. It’s very likely that we’ll be seeing an extended trailer with a glimpse of the new jobs during future Fan Fests, so keep an eye out for that.
